With Halloween swirling in the air, here’s a chance to look at some of the best horror comics to help spread the spirit of trick-or-treating. Ghost, ghouls, and goblins always feel right at home during these festivals of the dead. In order to fully bask in the glory of the season, you’ve gotta watch at least one horror movie and read a scary story today. Here is a list of comics that we feel best use of the Halloween tradition.

Hellboy: Seed of Destruction (Dark Horse Comics):

Hellboy, the world’s greatest paranormal investigator, ends up trapped inside a haunted mansion. Deep inside the empty hallways, tentacles smash through the floorboards and giant frog-monsters leap off the walls. Destined to end the world, Hellboy is forced to summon forth a sleeping demon. Mike Mignola’s expressionistic artwork keeps the action exciting and the supernatural overtones lively.

Batman: Gotham After Midnight (DC Comics):

On Halloween, Batman protects Gotham City’s innocent citizens as they parade across the streets in their costumes. Because everyone has a mask on, Batman can perfectly fit in with the crowd and not have to hide. Always on high alert, Batman is on the hunt for a serial killer, named Midnight, who has been viciously ripping the heart out of his victims. Steve Niles’ suspenseful storytelling is even matched with Kelly Jones’ incredible artistic style.

Hellraiser Vol.1 (Boom! Studios):

With Clive Barker’s return to the “Hellraiser” universe, Pinhead, the iconic horror movie monster, has become deadlier and scarier than before. Wanting revenge since his last defeat, Pinhead eagerly anticipates his upcoming confrontation with Kirsty Cotton. With Barker and co-writer, Christopher Monfette, providing Pinhead’s masterful and eloquent dialogue, Leonardo Manco brings in the terrifying sights, such as a church organ composed of body parts, to make readers squirm.

Locke & Key (IDW Publishing):

After the death of their murdered father, a disconnected family must pick up the shattered pieces. Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke move into the Keyhouse estate, hoping to reconnect after so many years of separation. In the hidden passageways, a girl in a well wants to be freed and a Ghost Door is somehow able to separate a spirit from the body. Writer Joe Hill builds the emotional bond behind his believable protagonists, while artist Gabriel Rodriguez heightens the eeriness of the of the hallways and rooms of the Keyhouse building.

Infinite Halloween Special Vol.1 (DC Comics):

On Halloween Night, the insane inmates of Arkham Asylum are planning their escape. Before the asylum doors open at midnight, the Joker convinces the others, such as Penguin and Mad Hatter, to use their spare time to tell tales of terror. In Steve Niles/Dean Ormston’s “Strange Cargo,” Superman suddenly ends up fighting against a horde of zombies. In Marc Bernadine/Adam Freeman/Eric Battle’s “What Can Scare The Main Man,” Phobia forces Lobo to confront his greatest fear, which causes him to scream for his dear life.

Ghost Rider: Rise Of The Midnight Sons (Marvel Comics):

Ghost Rider receives a horrific vision of the apocalypse as Lilith, Mother of Demons, intends to conquer the world. Ghost Rider must band a team of anti-heroes in order to stop her. Johnny Blaze, Morbius the Living Vampire, the Darkhold Redeemers, and the Nightstalkers (featuring Blade), reluctantly join together in an epic battle against evil.

Batman: The Long Halloween (DC Comics):

This is where mob rule ends and the freaks of Gotham City take over. As the Falcone family is murdered, one member for each month, by a mysterious killer named Holiday, Batman must stop the Scarecrow, the Joker, and Poison-Ivy as they join forces in the uprising. Jeph Loeb crafts a complex murder mystery, with Tim Sale adding a noirish look to the character designs.

Hack/Slash: My First Maniac (Image Comics):

An undead farmer has been picking off teens at their rave parties. In a flashback tale, this is Cassie Hack’s first case as she begins her mission eradicate all slashers. Tim Seeley touches on themes of teen angst and unrequited love through Cassie’s running narration. Artist Daniel Leister brings in the bloody goods, paying tribute to the Friday the 13th movies.

30 Days of Night (IDW Publishing):

In Barrow, Alaska, once the sun sets, no one will see any light during the next 30 days. Taking advantage of a world without sunlight, vampires run loose across the freezing snow. Sheriff Eben Olemaun must do everything he can to protect his wife and the last remaining survivors. With Steve Niles’ simple plot, Ben Templesmith’s abstract artwork always captures the terror and gore of a place with no hope, where the sun refuses to shine.

The Crow (Caliber Comics):

Writer and artist James O’ Barr took an incredibly creative spin on the zombie lore. After rising from the grave, Eric is brought back to life for a single purpose. Eric isn’t interested in feeding off of brains; he’s here to take revenge on those who murdered him and his fiancée. The illustrations are drawn in immense detail as Eric walks the gritty streets of Detroit, with his face smeared with black and white make-up. With Barr’s upcoming return to “The Crow” series, now from IDW Publishing, Halloween just never seems to end.

Written by – JorgeSolis